"We have half an hour before the attack." Sterling informed us, pacing around. His hair has morphed into an afro from puff after running his hands through it repeatedly. His mouth moved along with unspoken words, trying to formulate a plan; it is his second home that's under attack, after all.
"You might want to get changed first." I laughed nervously. Sterling was wearing tight shorts that fell to just above his knee, showing off hairless legs. His loose fitting shirt could pass as a crop top. 'Comfort wear', he says; I think he needs to put on a load of laundry.
"I knew that." He said, grabbing his super suit off of the back of the chair, he was beginning to strip down to his boxers, but I pushed him into another room. Nobody wants to see that.
No longer than two minutes after he left, Sterling came back, fully dressed in his costume. "How did you do that so quickly?" I asked in awe.
Sterling smirked, "Practice." After looking around, he let out an unattractive snort, "Nightlight looks constipated." My gaze drifted to Gold who was staring at the floor, his eyebrows were furrowed in thought.
"What's on your mind?" I asked, slipping the mask Sterling handed me over my eyes.
"I have to carry both of you." He stated, pinching his bottom lip with his fingers.
"I'm not that fat." Sterling said, squishing the skin surrounding his bellybutton to make it look as though it was talking.
Before I could register what was happening, Sterling jumped on Golds' back and fell to the ground.
"What the hell?" Gold groaned.
"I'll go on your back." Sterling said, placing his hands on Golds' shoulders once more.
"You could've just said so." Gold said, reluctantly bending his knees, Sterling jumped on his back. They fell forward and landed in a pile on the floor; It took two more tries until they were stable. Gold picked me up immediately after, my stomach plummeted as he shot off into the sky, much faster than last time. I found that I was fighting for my breath, like whenever there's a harsh breeze and you feel like you're suffocating, or like the wind from a leaf blower placed in front of your face by an idiot brother. I nuzzled my head into Golds' chest where the oxygen seemed to be, along with the aroma of honey and lavender.
"Sorry, we've wasted enough time!" He yelled over the wind, I could barely hear him over the sound of a plane below us, and Sterlings' repetitive shouting, 'holy shit' were the only two words coming out of his mouth. Like an inappropriate alarm clock. I squeezed my watering eyes shut with as much force as possible.
"Sterling... you're holding on... a little... tight." Gold wheezed. The feeling of security faded as his arms loosened around me until I couldn't feel them at all. I tried to wrap my arms around Golds' neck for support, but Sterling was in the way; He choked Gold. Sterlings' shouting amplified when, instead of flying straight ahead, we began falling out of the sky in two separate groups: Sterling slapping Golds' already purple face, and I. By myself. Falling.
I tried to scream, but the wind seemed to carry my voice away, instead, a loud roar sounded below me. I opened my eyes just as I was about to hit a passing plane; without realizing it, I phased right through the roof.
I hissed as my forehead smacked against something hard, the left side of my body throbbed with pain, but I was lucky to be alive. I yelped as the ground beneath me shook, it took seconds to realize I landed on a stewardess. I mumbled an apology as I stood, extending a hand. She shied away from it. I could feel eyes burning holes in my skull as people looked at me in shock, amazement, or fear. They've never seen me before, so they don't know if I'm here to kill them or save them from something yet to come. What they don't know, is that I'm just passing through.
A collective amount of gasps from behind me attracted my attention, people were staring out a window; behind it, Sterling. Gold was carrying him bridal style.
"Erm," I looked around at the various faces, I looked back at the window Sterling was tapping repeatedly. I pointed to the floor, making sure he saw. "Gotta go." I mumbled as I phased through the floor with ease; Sterling shrieked as Gold dropped him to catch me, but he managed to grab hold of Golds' leg, making him wave his arms around frantically to regain balance. Shaking, I maneuvered my way onto Golds back so Sterling could be in his arms.
A sudden jolt, and a lack of wind, indicated we landed. I peeled my eyes open, surprised to see the area looking as normal as it was when we came to pick up Sterlings' ice cream the other day.
Gold set Sterling down and peeled me off his back so I could be placed on my feet. I wobbled a bit, knees shaking after the scare, but Gold held onto my shoulders before I could fall over.
"Dude, that was stellar!" Sterling guffawed, "did anybody scream when they saw you? Did you say anything? Did they say anything?" He demanded.
"I landed on someone." I mumbled, staring at my boots; Sterling let out an unattractive snort.
"Ashlyn," Gold grabbed me and pulled me close to him to get a look at my forehead, "you're bleeding." I touched the area he was looking at and winced, feeling the crusted blood.
"I think you need stitches," Gold said.
"I'm fine."
"Maybe you should stand on the sidelines..." he trailed off.
"I'm fine." I reassured him with a smile; he nodded and looked around.
"Are you sure this is the right place?" he asked Sterling when he reappeared after stealing an ice cream cone from one of the kids who were too amazed to even care.
Sterling opened his mouth to speak but before he could, a car flew at us from out of nowhere. Sterling, seeing it first, jumped into the air and kicked the car away; he landed with a smug expression on his face.
"Yeah," he smirked, "I'm positive."
I scoffed, "show off." I scanned the area, searching for the super in black; he was staring at us when we spotted him.
The crowd scattered, screaming.
Gold stood straighter.
Sterling winked.
I gulped.
Momentum began his flight towards us, causing destruction on both sides as he approached, closer and closer, until he was right infront of us.
"I've been waiting for you." He said, his voice was higher than I expected, like a man who hasn't hit puberty yet. His mouth was hidden behind the cowl, the only indication he spoke was the sound, his jaw looked as though it was set firmly in place. He tilted his head to the side, it looked choppy, robotic, almost. His eyes were white and glossed over. Dead. "Ashlyn Calloway."
Hearing my name out of his mouth was like a snake hissing in my ear, it sent sharp chills down my spine. I glanced around, making sure nobody was there to hear him. I didn't see anybody, but I couldn't be certain.
"Actually, it's Spectral." Sterling corrected, crossing his arms over his puffed out chest.
"Sterling, don't be a smart ass," I hissed in his ear, "especially to someone who won't hesitate to kill you."
"Flirting with death is a sweet hobby of mine." He replied, I slapped his arm.
"Ashlyn, Spectral," Momentum sang, "whatever you call yourself nowadays, won't change the fact you're the same person."
"If Spectrals' name is Ashlyn, and I'm not saying it is," Gold spoke, "how would you know?"
Momentum let out a deep chuckle, almost like a growl, "I have my ways."
"So you're a super stalker?" Sterling asked; then leaned over my shoulder, "Super stalker." He snorted, "Get it?" I elbowed him in the stomach.
"What do you want?" I asked, surprised at the fact my voice was loud and clear, showing no hint of the fear that swallowed me whole.
"Oh, I don't know." His head chopped to the side, then snapped to me, "revenge would be nice." Cyrus will have his revenge.
"You're Cyrus?" I asked. Sterling must've been wrong about having two different brain powers.
Momentum chuckled, "I guess you could say that.
Something slammed against my shoulder, sending me crashing towards the ground, I landed on my left side, the side that already throbbed in pain from the plane. Gold stepped in front of me defensively, one arm raised at Momentum, the other at a man who seemed to appear out of thin air. The man was dressed in blood red and black spandex.
The man sighed, "always pay attention to your surroundings." He said, motioning towards the boulder that lay where I was just standing, "you can put your arm down, son, I'm not going to hurt you." Gold, reluctantly, lowered his arm. Recognition clicked as soon as I heard him speak. Even though I've only heard one word come out of his mouth, the spandex was a dead giveaway. He saved my life twice now.
"Ah, how nice of you to join us." Momentum sneered.
"This is between you and me, no one else has to get hurt." The man pleaded.
"Oh, really?" Momentum chuckled, "tell that to my wife, to my unborn child. Oh, I forgot, you murdered them." Gold raised his arm once more.
The man frowned, remorse clouded his features, he looked at me for a second before returning his gaze to Momentum, "I'm a changed man. I don't do that anymore."
"Does that change anything?" Momentum asked, "does it bring my family back?"
The man in red cleared his throat, "I know for damn sure that telekinesis isn't one of your powers, so release whoever's underneath that mask. Face me yourself." He ordered.
Momentums' cloudy eyes seemed to return to normal for mere seconds before his body collapsed. He let out a scream of agony that could make anyones' stomach churn, but was laughing at the same time. He shot back up, as if nothing had happened.
"Sorry, it's just too much fun." He sneered.
"I'm so confused." Sterling stated loud enough so only Gold and I could hear.
"This is exhausting!" Momentum exclaimed, "let's just get this over with."
He lifted his arms; the tip of my feet dipped as the firm ground disappeared from beneath me. He jerked his arm to the side; hot needles of pain stabbed at the base of my skull and then shot down my spine, exploding throughout my limbs, as I slammed against the walls of Scooters Creamery. I landed, breathless, on the grass beside the building.
White clouds littered the sky like cotton candy, it's a wonderfully clear springs' day and I felt like I've been hit by a car and dragged along with it on the road for a thousand meters.
Two faces appeared in front of me, black dots clouded my vision, so I squeezed my eyes shut in hopes of making them disappear. When I reopened them, three faces now stared back at me. The black dots swarmed once more and I closed my eyes again.
"We need to get her someplace safe." Said Gold; I felt warm fingers gingerly touch my forehead, sweeping hair away from my face.
"My house?" Inquired Sterling.
"How do you think he knew her identity?" Gold asked.
"He's probably some evil geni-ow!"
"No. Somebody must've followed her."
"I have a place," the man said.
It was quiet for a few seconds before Gold spoke. "Hell, no. I know who you are."
"Yeah?" The man mused.
"I don't know, Lightbulb, she doesn't look too good, and we both know she can't go to the hospital."
Gold held in his breath, "you know how to take care of her?"
"I practiced medicine."
Gold guffawed, "you? I find that hard to believe."
"People change."
"So I've heard."
"We have to go now." Large hands dug underneath me, lifting me up.
"No, not you, you're dangerous." Gold said. "I'll take her, you show us where to go."
The man sighed, "fine." I was placed in Golds' arms.
***
When my eyes fluttered open, the pain had reduced to a small throbbing sensation. I was in a dark room, the only source of light was Gold sleeping in a chair next to me.
"You're awake!" Sterling said, sipping his drink as he walked into the room, he slapped Golds' back to wake him up.
"Momentum?" I mumbled.
"He escaped." Sterling said.
"He didn't escape," the man said, appearing out of nowhere, "he kicked your ass and left."
"We could've won if you two didn't run to Ash when he attacked her." Sterling crossed his arms, "I only have super strength y'know."
"How are you feeling?" The man asked, ignoring Sterling; Gold moved to stand in between us, "don't be foolish, son. I've clearly shown I don't want to harm you."
Gold drew in a deep breath and stood taller, "what do you want?"
"I want to help you." He clasped his hands together.
Gold snorted, "you don't help people."
Sterling groaned, "Christ, Soleil. He seems like a pretty o-kay guy to me." He motioned towards his smoothie.
"Do you not know who he is?" Gold asked, Sterling shook his head, "seriously?"
"No, Sparkles, I don't. Will you please enlighten me?"
Gold stared at the man with narrowed eyes, "Carmine Air." Sterling spit out his drink, my eyes went wide.
"I thought he died ages ago, in The Bombing of 1995?" Sterling asked.
"Do you really think someone, who can stop time, would die in a bombing?"
Sterling sighed, "no, I guess not."
The man chuckled, "that was ages ago. I don't have the power I once had."
"But how many people died because of your power?"
The man frowned, "I realized my mistakes far too late, I faked my death so people wouldn't have to fear me, so I could use my gift for good."
"Which brings us back to the question. Why do you want to help us?"
"Because Cyrus has already taken the life of someone dear to me." He explained.
"Why?" I asked.
He shook his head in regret, "because of something that happened ages ago, something I did when I was another person."
"That's a reasonable explanation." Sterling nodded.
"How do we know your telling the truth?" Gold asked.
"You don't, but Ashlyn does." The man sighed, "I know you'll never fully trust me, but I hope this will help." All eyes fell on the man as he slowly removed his mask, once it was off, he kept his head down as if debating whether or not to follow through.
Golds' glow illuminated his features as he lifted his head and looked me dead in the eye.
"Dad?"
Which of Golds nicknames is your favourite? I might just stick to one.
Who guessed it was her dad? Who had a feeling he was a super?
I might not update very often this summer because I'm going to Quebec right after school ends, until August. My grandparents don't let us stay inside very much.